In Photos: Flying Embraer's KC-390 Above France

‍PARIS — Ahead of the official start of the 2025 edition of the Paris Airshow, Embraer hosted a special media flight on board its KC-390 Millennium testbed. While we focus solely on commercial aviation, this was a treat worth sharing with our readers.

The aircraft, PT-ZNG, features the Força Aérea Brasileira livery and will be showcased during the airshow.

After checking in and receiving my boarding pass at the Embraer media chalet, we were escorted to the security checkpoint and the aircraft. The KC-390 awaited us on the apron, just next to the Embraer’s commercial star, the E195-E2 'Tech Eagle'. 

Inside, the aircraft is equipped with benches for passengers on both sides, for a total of four rows parallel to the fuselage. As we had no assigned seats, we could sit anywhere on board, with the seats at the very end of the cabin being the most sought after due to the proximity to the two large windows. 

Our flight time today is approximately one hour, allowing you the opportunity to visit the cockpit and explore the fuselage. The flight would take off from Paris-Le Bourget (LBG), where the Paris Air Show is regularly hosted, and take us above the northern part of France, almost skimming the Channel.

After a long taxi, we finally reached runway 25, where the IAE V2500 engines powered us into the sky. Soon after, the seat belt indicator was turned off, and we were able to explore the cabin, admire the view, and learn more about the KC-390 Millennium from Embraer’s senior staff.

On this flight, we were joined by Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer, as well as João Bosco Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.

During the flight, passengers were given the rare opportunity to enter the cockpit, a privilege usually reserved for pilots, on any aircraft, let alone a KC-390. We spent considerable time discussing all the features of the plane with Embraer’s staff, taking pictures and videos, and studying details of the fuselage, such as the cargo loading markers, the oxygen mask system, auxiliary tank attachments, and more.

As we reached our cruise altitude of 15,000 feet, we were finally able to see northern France as the clouds began to fade away. 

We landed on runway 27 at LBG and applied full braking power, firmly holding onto the seatbelt as a result. During taxiing, the crew opened the main cargo door, gifting everyone on board some great views of the incoming traffic at LBG and the Embraer facilities.

Stay tuned for Airways' #PAS2025 coverage, bringing you the latest developments live from Paris this week.